After tearing up opposing pitching in Triple-A this season, Washington Nationals outfielder James Wood has allegedly been promoted to the majors and will make his highly awaited MLB debut on Monday.
Wood was on the verge of making the Nationals team out of spring training after posting a.364 batting average with four home runs and seven RBI in 44 at-bats, but was demoted to the minors to gain more experience.
In 51 Triple-A games, the 21-year-old has been slashing.346/.458/.578 with 10 home runs, 34 RBI, and 10 stolen bases. Most notably, he has greatly improved at the plate, with only 41 strikeouts this season compared to 173 in 2023.
Wood was part of a franchise-altering trade that included shortstop C.J. Abrams, pitcher MacKenzie Gore, and outfield prospect Robert Hassell, which might help the Nationals become contenders in the coming years.
The Padres selected Wood in the second round of the 2021 MLB Draft. He stands 6-foot-7 and has exceptional speed. While not the conventional centerfielder, he is more than capable of playing the position in the major leagues.
With fast outfielder Jacob Young now occupying centerfield, Wood will most likely move to a corner outfield post, though he may also see time as a designated hitter during his debut.
Wood, with his advanced feel in the batter’s box, is the type of player who is likely to enjoy immediate success and might become the new face of the Nationals club, which hasn’t seen much success since winning the World Series in 2019.
After four consecutive losing seasons, the Nationals are currently four games below.500, at 38-42. With their increased weaponry, they hope to end that streak this season.
If Wood is still available in your fantasy baseball league, he is a must-have asset who might pay out handsomely in the second half of the season.
